Specs & Mods
- Ownership Status
- Currently Own
- Year
- 1996
- Model/Trim
- Transmission Type
- Automatic
- Build Type
- Street
- Mods-Bolt-on
- None
- Mods-Engine
- None
- Mods-EMS & Logging
- None
- Mods-Drivetrain
- None
- Mods-Handling
- None
- Parts Wishlist
- LED Headlights, Tail Lights; New Convertible Top; Body Kit; New DBL-Din Touch-Screen Stereo System With new Speakers System Throughout; Slim Gearshift Selector; Sound Dampening Pads; New Carpet; Indi-glo Gauges; LEDS In-Dash; Possibly New Wheels; New DSM Emblem (Chromed) for the hood; Possibly a Roll-Bar.
- Background
- Bought the convertible for my daughter back in 2010. She bought it for $1500 (or less) and drove it to high-school. When she went to college we bought her another car so she "gave" me the convertible. We never really did much to the car. She's out of college now and the car just sat in our driveway and even made the move with us from Kentucky to Mississippi. Now it sits in the garage. :-)
The other day, I almost gave away an outdoor patio sofa that my wife bought to restore a year ago. She hadn't really done anything with it so I figured why not give it to someone who could fix it up and enjoy it? .... Big mistake. She hit the roof! You'd think after 25 years of marriage I'd know better! She said, "Why shouldn't I just give away that car that's just sitting in the garage?" I said, "Honey, that's different.... it's an expensive item..... and we have a title to it...." Ok... So after a day or two to think it over, I kept the sofa and told her she was absolutely right... it was the same thing. Moral of the story, Marry a good woman and don't disrespect her! LOL!
Anyway, I decided to finally fix up the old beater of a car, and do it right. Several years back I wanted to learn auto mechanics so I bought an old Volvo 240G, a repair manual and went to it. I learned how to fix most stuff and even some of the very difficult engine and coolant system repairs. When she finally bit the dust she had 318,000 beautiful miles on her!
So I have decided to do the same with the DSM. The engine runs like a dream and the car is seriously fun to drive along the scenic, but curvy back roads. I plan to restore it and use it as a Sunday Driver. I'll be taking it along the Natchez Trace Parkway and to the beach in Florida on occasion. So it's strictly going to be driven for pleasure.
I plan to make the car as quiet as possible with sound-dampening tape and sound-proofing pads. I will remove all the interior & trunk trim, seats, and dash and will repaint them. With the carpet removed I will trace and fix all wiring issues. The guy who had the car previously seriously rigged a bunch of stuff! Ugh! The DSM has a few dings and a seriously crumpled drivers rear quarter-panel. My goal is to also do all the body work repair myself. I may get crazy and even paint the primer coat myself too!
Finally, I plan for the DSM to be painted a metallic Pearl White with various shades of gray interior trim. I'll be using as much of the stock parts myself and just reconditioning them.
